Chapter Six
Penny
S omething’s wrong with me.
I’m sick. More so than usual. It’s like all the strange things that go on inside my head are traveling. Making my chest feel tight or my stomach twist violently. My skin burns and my palms are sweaty. The most unusual feeling is in my pelvis. Aching. Throbbing. And I’m not even on my period anymore.
It’s Trey.
Each time I’m around him, my body goes haywire.
I don’t like it. I don’t like him.
Liar.
Ignoring the quiet whisper in the back of my mind, I follow the instructions of my GPS. It’s on silent, but I glance at the roads and suggested turns as they approach. Once, I tried to keep the volume on, but it was so damn annoying, I had to pull over and find the mute. I don’t understand how anyone can put up with that supposedly pleasing voice telling them where to go.
I pull into a crappy neighborhood, searching for the house number. Slowly, I drive past, trying to catch a peek.
“Is that it?” Trey asks, leaning over the console to peer through my window.
“Yeah. I’m going to park a few houses down and we—”
“Not we,” he bites out. “ Me . Dude’s an asshole. I don’t want you near him.”
Anger surges up inside me as I pull into someone else’s driveway to turn around. “I’m going.”
As soon as I pull to a stop, Trey grips my wrist. The touch sends a jolt of electricity zapping through me, but it’s not unpleasant. I don’t pull from his hold.
“I’m going,” I say with a little more venom.
His mahogany eyes bore into me. “You’re not, Penny.”
“I—”
“Jesus Christ,” he snaps. “I said no. This guy gives me a bad feeling. I want to keep you safe.”
I gape at him. “Why? You’re not my brother or my keeper!”
His thumb strokes over my skin, causing my heart to skidder to a stop. “Please let me keep you safe.”
Unbelievable.
“No,” I grumble. “We’re doing this together or not at all.”
He’s pissed based on the way his nostrils flare like a bull ready to charge. “Goddammit, English.”
“Let’s go. Like I said, let me do the talking,” I tell him as I climb out.
He follows behind me, stomping through the snow like a bratty toddler. A smile tugs at my lips. It quickly melts away when we start up the driveway to this house. It’s in dire need of repair. The roof is sagging in areas and the siding is hanging off in some spots.
“You think anyone is here?” Trey asks. “I don’t see any lights on.”
“I guess we’ll find out,” I mutter, carefully climbing the slippery concrete steps.
I knock on the door—three short raps—and then wait, actually welcoming any sounds for once. Footsteps approach and then the door creaks open. An older woman with a sour expression answers the door.
“Can I help you?” she snaps.
“I’m here to see Zella.”
Trey stiffens beside me. I realize he may not have even known her name. When I looked at the file earlier, I discovered her name is Zella Teejay Henderson.
The woman frowns. “You’re the replacement sitter?”
Before I can answer her, a little girl peeks her head around the woman’s leg. My heart clenches like it does whenever I see Sebban, something I don’t quite understand, but don’t hate.
“Hi, Zella,” I chirp, pretending to sound like Charlotte since she puts everyone at ease. “I’m Penny.”
Zella’s familiar brown eyes pin me. “I’m not allowed to talk to strangers.” The quiet whisper—almost inaudible—makes me want to snatch her and steal her for Trey. She’s obviously his. They make the same sad expressions and have the same eyes.
“It appears this will be your new sitter, Zella,” the woman says. Then, her eyes dart over to Trey. “Mr. Henderson won’t allow you to bring your boyfriend over. He’s strict.”
Boyfriend?
I almost laugh.
But Trey slings his arm over my shoulders, making me freeze at his possessive touch.
“Don’t worry, ma’am,” Trey rumbles. “We’re just stopping by. She’ll come alone next time.”
“Marilyn,” the woman says. “My name is Marilyn. Come inside for a bit then.”
She and the little girl step aside, allowing us entry. Trey’s arm slides off my shoulders, his palm settling at the small of my back, as he guides me in. I know we’re playing a part, but I can’t explain the jackhammering of my heart.
“Have a seat. I can make some tea,” Marilyn offers. “Zella likes Earl Gray with a bit of cream, don’t you sweetie?”
Zella nods, her array of tight, white curls bouncing. Since I want this lady to leave us be, I force a smile.
“I’ll have it the same way then,” I say to Marilyn.
The woman walks away, leaving me and Trey with the girl. She sits on the love seat, her curious eyes sweeping over me and then Trey. He sits on the sofa, angling his body toward her and leaning forward. I sit beside him, studying her.
Her dark eyebrows are pinched together and she frowns. Most kids around her age are bouncing around and getting into trouble. They most certainly can be noisy. Sebban is definitely a rambunctious, noisy kid.
“How old are you?” I ask.
“Four and a half.”
Trey tenses from beside me.
“When’s your birthday?”
She frowns harder. “April.”
Trey curses. I elbow him to keep his emotions in check. The dates must be adding up for him.
“My birthday is in April too,” I tell her. “I’ll be eighteen. Are you going to have a party?”
Her gaze falls to her lap and she shrugs. Silence cloaks the room, and for the first time ever, I don’t welcome it. When I was her age, Mom and Dad always had elaborate birthday parties for us. Tons of kids were invited. Cool cakes and themed decorations. Presents galore. She seems as though she doesn’t know what a real party would be like.
“Where’s your mother?” Trey demands.
I punch his leg. “Stop talking.”
He shoots me a furious glare, but I ignore him.
Marilyn storms around the corner, her face red and her phone in her grip. “What did you say your name was again? Was it Phoebe?” Her tone is shrill and it makes me break out into an uncomfortable sweat. “Mr. Henderson said the new sitter wouldn’t be by until tomorrow.”
Crap.
Busted.
“Sorry to impose,” I say quickly. “We’ll leave. We don’t want you to get into trouble.”
We rise from our seats. I snatch Trey’s hand, dragging him away from the girl. He seems to be stalling, which is super annoying considering how big he is.
“See you soon, Zella,” I assure her.
Her eyes lift once more, but they’re watery with tears. I don’t like this. Nothing about her situation feels right. Leaving seems like a mistake, but based on the furious vibes Marilyn is putting off, I think it’s best we leave before she calls the police.
Zella manages a small wave before she dips her head again. I tug Trey out of the house. His body thrums with anger. It ripples off him, intense and out of control. I manage to get him over to the Jeep and we climb inside. Once I peel out, I take in a calming breath.
“That’s my kid, Penny,” Trey croaks out. “What the fuck do we do?”
I don’t know what to do.
Dad will know.
“We’re going to get help,” I assure him.
He buries his face in his palms. I can feel his frustration pulsating through the air. The urge to comfort him is overwhelming. I don’t know why I feel differently around Trey. It’s bothersome, but not always in a bad way. Just noticeable. Constant. Penetrating. I can’t ignore it.
We drive back to Dad’s loft. I’d never tell Mom, but I prefer it over Aunt Karen’s house. Aunt Karen’s place squeaks and groans like ghosts roam. At Dad’s, it’s more insulated or something. It just feels quieter. That is, when Jace, my prison pet, isn’t running his mouth.
After I park in the underground garage, Trey follows me into the elevator. I sneak a peek at him. He’s scowling, his jaw clenching over and over. It makes me wonder if I placed a palm on his cheek, would he relax. Fisting my hand so I don’t do anything dumb like touch his face, I look away. The elevator dings for Dad’s floor. I walk a little too quickly to escape the prickly awareness that seems to poke at me whenever Trey is near and enter our loft.
Jace is sitting in a chair with some redhead on his lap, sucking his face.
Gross.
“Ew, dogs aren’t allowed on the furniture,” I tell him. “I’m gonna tell Dad.”
Jace’s rumbling laugh has his girl pulling away in irritation. “Happy to see you too, squirt.”
“I brought company.” I nod toward Trey. “We have family business to discuss. Tell your Tinder skank it’s time to leave.”
The woman scoffs, climbing out of his lap to glower at me. “I don’t know who you think you are, little girl, but you need to respect your elders.”
“Brittany, just go,” Jace says.
“Tiffany,” she snaps. “And I was here first.”
“We had this threesome pre-scheduled,” I say with a shrug. “Take your saggy vagina lips to someone else’s apartment. Jace is ours.”
He starts laughing and Trey shakes his head beside me.
“You’re a kid!” she screeches.
“Seventeen. They’re so fucking kinky,” I taunt. “Jace is desperate for another prison sentence.” I pretend to whisper to her. “He prefers boys, so he’s trying to get back to OHP where the boys are plentiful. Looks like fucking a teenager might be his fast-track ticket back.”
She gasps, her eyes darting over to Jace. “You’re a pervert?”
He shrugs. “It would appear that I am.”
“Bye, Brittany!” I call out. “He’ll write from prison! Hope you like gay porn stories!”
The door slams shut, a sound I don’t mind considering it means she’s gone.
“Why you gotta be so gross, pet?” I ask, dropping into the chair next to him. “Now our house smells like hoes. Where’s Dad?”
“He ran out. Should be back soon. Thanks for cockblocking,” Jace says, amusement in his tone.
“I did you a favor. Now you can remain STI-free. You’re welcome.” I flash him a bitchy smile. “Trey found his kid. We’re gonna steal her.”
Jace’s amber eyes widen. “Slow down, brat. Rewind.”
“He’s old,” I whisper to Trey, who sits down on the sofa. “We have to talk slow for him.”
Jace smacks my arm. “Stop being a bitch and get to explaining.”
“Don’t touch me,” I grind out, hissing at him. “I honestly don’t want to have to say it twice. I’ll wait for Dad.”
The room falls blissfully silent. I close my eyes, reveling in the absence of sound. Seconds later, the quiet is interrupted when Dad enters the loft, a sack in his hand.
“Hey, princess,” Dad calls out as he heads into the kitchen. “Hey, Trey.”
After he drops his bag off, he comes into the living room. His eyes dart around to the three of us, waiting for someone to speak.
“Jace almost got crabs, but I rescued him,” I reveal. “Seriously, stop bringing skanks here or I’m moving in with Cal.”
Dad snorts. “It’s bad enough one of my girls lives with Cal Hutton. Two is out of the question.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “What’s going on? Be serious.”
“We went to his house,” Trey mutters. “She’s mine. Zella is mine. The dates add up, man.”
Dad glowers at me. “What the hell did you do, Penny?”
“I peeked at her file and found her address.” I shrug. “Smash and I went to pay her a visit—”
“You can’t do shit like that,” Dad barks out, throwing his hands in the air. “I don’t even have to tell you the laws you violated that could put my practice in jeopardy.”
“But he wants to name them all,” Jace taunts. “I can see him reciting them in his head. Come on, Gary, tell us all about the penal codes—”
“You’re a fucking idiot,” Dad growls at his best friend, shooting him the bird. “Besides that very important fact, you could have endangered yourself, Penny!”
I curl my lip up, edgy from the decibel of Dad’s voice. “I had a bodyguard. Trey had my back.”
Dad shoots Trey a murderous glare. “It was stupid.”
“Anyway,” I grind out, annoyed he won’t let me finish without flipping a gasket. “I looked this dude up on social media. He’s a total fuddy-duddy old man with a beer belly. We were fine. Now focus on the main part of the story.”
Dad scowls, but I continue.
“Zella is Trey’s. There’s no doubt about it. The timeline matches up. We need to get Blowjob Barbie to help us get her back,” I exclaim.
Jace chuckles. “Blowjob Barbie. I’m so gonna call Samantha that when I see her next time.”
Dad pinches the bridge of his nose before finally sitting down next to Trey. “We can pursue this. Legally. No more recon missions. I’m serious.” He turns to Trey. “You want to see that little girl? Then you need to play by the rules.”
Jace leans into me. “Your dad has such a hard-on for rules.”
“And you have a hard-on for skanks in spandex. We all have our faults, pet.”
“Let me…” Dad trails off. “Let me get with Samantha and we’ll get the ball rolling.”
Trey clears his throat. “I, uh, just started my job as coach, so I can pay my way now. For everything.”
Dad arches a brow at him. “ I can barely afford Samantha. Trust me, she’s too expensive. I’ll handle it.”
“She does me for free,” Jace says, his lips curling into an evil grin. “Does Jordy for free too.”
“Maybe Samantha has a hard-on for deviance,” I offer. “In that case, Trey is a shoe-in for Blowjob Barbie pro bono work.”
“Penny,” Dad says in exasperation.
“Yes, Daddy?” I bat my lashes at him.
He sighs heavily. “You’re my most difficult child.”
“It’s why I’m your favorite,” I explain slowly because he’s old.
The smirk on his face tells me I’m not wrong.
Trey’s penetrating stare has me recoiling. Dad and Jace start discussing something, but I lose focus, fixated on the way Trey sees inside of me.
With Trey, I sort of forget about my walls. He’s seen me break down a few times lately. When I’m around Dad, I have to keep a huge-ass brick wall up in front of me. He’s a doctor and senses when people aren’t right.
I like my life, even if it is a little loud.
I certainly don’t need Dad giving me pills to numb my world, or worse yet, send me away to some asylum because everyone around me makes me positively insane simply by breathing, chewing, and existing.
Trey’s eyes narrow. He sees me. Thankfully, for me, his nice pink lips stay firmly pressed together. Our secret. I can handle Trey knowing I’m a freak, but if I want to stay Daddy’s favorite, I need to keep this little tidbit away from my father.